The Plot Against Daniel
6 1 Darius appointed a hundred and twenty satraps over the kingdom, stationed throughout the whole kingdom, 1 1 v1 Satraps were the highest tier of Persian provincial officials, each governing a large region of the empire. 2 and over them three administrators, of whom Daniel was one, so that these satraps would report to them and the king would suffer no loss. 3 Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the administrators and the satraps, because he had an excellent spirit, and the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.
4 Then the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no ground for a charge or any corruption, because he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was found in him. 5 Then these men said, "We will never find any ground for a charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him in connection with the law of his God."
6 So the administrators and satraps came to the king together and said to him, "King Darius, may you live forever!" 7 All the administrators of the kingdom, the prefects and satraps, the counselors and governors, are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce a strict decree, that whoever makes a petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, king, will be thrown into the den of lions. 8 Now, king, establish the ordinance and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked." 9 So King Darius signed the document and the ordinance.
Daniel in the Lions' Den
10 When Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went to his house, where he had windows in his upper room open toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks before his Father, just as he had done before. 11 Then these men came together and found Daniel praying and pleading for mercy before his Father. 12 So they came to the king and spoke about the king's ordinance: "Did you not sign an ordinance that for thirty days anyone who makes a petition to any god or man except to you, king, would be thrown into the den of lions?" The king answered, "The matter stands firm, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked."
13 Then they answered the king, "Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, king, or to the ordinance you signed, but prays three times a day." 14 When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed and set his mind on rescuing Daniel; and he worked hard until sundown to save him.
15 Then these men came to the king together and said to him, "Know this, king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no ordinance or statute the king establishes can be changed."
16 So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the den of lions. The king said to Daniel, "May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!"
17 A stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing concerning Daniel could be changed. 18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no entertainment was brought before him, and sleep fled from him.
19 Then, at the first light of dawn, the king rose and hurried to the den of lions. 20 As he came near the den, he cried out to Daniel in a voice full of anguish. The king said to Daniel, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?"
21 Then Daniel said to the king, "King, may you live forever! 22 My Father sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, king, I have done no wrong."
23 Then the king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted out of the den. So Daniel was lifted out of the den, and no injury of any kind was found on him, because he had trusted in his Father. 2 2 v23 Daniel, sealed in a pit under a stone and brought out alive, points ahead to Jesus — sealed in a tomb behind a stone and raised by the Father who would not abandon him.
24 Then the king gave the command, and the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the den of lions, they and their children and their wives. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
Darius Honors the Living God
25 Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages who dwell in all the earth: "May your peace abound! 26 I issue a decree that throughout my whole kingdom people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom will never be destroyed, and his dominion will have no end. 27 He rescues and delivers he works signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth he is the one who rescued Daniel from the power of the lions."
28 So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.